“Thirty spokes share the wheel’s hub, It is the centre hole that makes it useful. Shape clay into a vessel, It is the space within that makes it useful. Cut doors and windows for a room, It is the holes which make it useful. Therefore profit comes from what is there, Usefulness from what is not there.”

Ideas which are almost seductive, that are symmetrical, ideas that have the right pieces missing, and which are sustainable, are ideas that win.

If you look back at any of the most successful ideas over the past hundred thousand years, you’ll notice that they each have these attributes in common.

It is elegance that sums up these commonalities. Elegance is what can make or break your ideas in the real world, and the book In Pursuit of Elegance by Matthew May is chock-full of anecdotes on how to create elegant ideas.

I just finished reading the book and it instantly became a classic in my personal library. In‒fact: I think this book is so worthwhile that I want to give you a signed copy. Read on.

Want to win a signed copy of the book?

Simply subscribe to get Creative Something articles by email using the form on the left side of the website and that’s it. If you’re already subscribed, you’re already eligible to win!

On Friday, January 6th, 2012, I’ll randomly select winners to receive a signed copy of Matthew’s remarkable book.

Be sure to share this with your friends so they have a chance to win a copy of their own too.

UPDATE: Winners have been selected and contacted by email. Thanks to everyone who subscribed!

Disclaimer: I have not been paid for this post. I merely read the book and enjoyed it to the point where I just had to give it away. After contacting the author, Matthew May, he offered to mail signed books for me to give away!